Director, Playwright, Theorist

Early Life
Bertolt Brecht was born on February 10, 1898 in Augsburg, Bavaria, under
the reign of the German Empire.
His early familiarity with the Bible remained a strong influence within his
writing.
Brechts mother was the inspiration for the dangerous image of a self-
denying woman that became a recurring theme in many of his plays.
He registered for medical courses at Munich University, and began
attending drama courses taught by Arthur Kutscher, who introduced
Brecht to Frank Wedekind.
He began writing for newspapers as a theater critic.
He was an orderly in a military clinic during WWI, which ended a month
after his draft.
Brecht was drawn into the political cabaret performances of the Munich
comedian Karl Valentin.
His chief influences were Charlie Chaplin, Karl Valentin, Frank Wedekind,
and Georg Bchner.




Success as a Playwright
Brecht wrote his first full-length play, Baal, in response
to an argument he had with his teacher at Munich
University.
This was the first of many plays Brecht wrote as a
desire to counter another work (his own, as well as
others)
At the age of 24 Brecht won the prestigious Kleist
Prize for Baal, Drums in the Night, and In the Jungle
Brecht: All Theater Is Political
Every character exists inside social relations and
structures of power
Every narrative has an ideological perspective
Some plays are critical of the status quo
Others do not question the status quo
Both of these acts are political


Political theatre = Plays that encourage political
change or action

Edward II/Creation of Epic Theatre
In 1924, Brecht began to collaborate with Lion Feuchtwanger on Christopher
Marlowes Edward II.
Through this production, he created the concept of Epic Theater, a theatrical
movement that requires the use of various lighting and stage effects (i.e. sound
effects, projections, etc.) in a production to create an epic, yet theatrical
performance.
The goal of epic theatre is for the audience to be aware that they are watching a
play, similar to the goal of Metatheatre.
The intention was to counter Stanislavskis naturalistic approach to theatre, as
he felt it encouraged escapism.
Antonin Artauds Theater of Cruelty and surrealism helped inspire the political
and social focus of Epic theatre.
Verfremdungseffekt- Alienation Effect; Technique that makes audience feel
detached from the play (i.e. role-doubling, lighting, fourth wall)
"It is most important that one of the main features of the ordinary theatre
should be excluded from [epic theatre]: the engendering of illusion.
Ian McKellen in Edward II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JPWrTvgVfM

Gestus
The embodiment of an attitude; two distinct
meanings:
1
st
: the uncovering or revealing of the motivations and
transactions that underpin a dramatic exchange
between the characters;
2
nd
: the "epic" narration of that character by the actor
(whether explicitly or implicitly).
DRAMATIC THEATRE EPIC THEATRE
Plot Narrative
Implicates the spectator in a stage situation Turns the spectator into an observer but
Wears down arouses his capacity for action
Provides him with sensations Forces him to take decisions
Experience Picture of the world
The spectator is involved in something He is made to face something
Suggestion Argument
Instinctive feelings are preserved Brought to the point of recognition
The spectator is in the thick of it, shares the
experience
The spectator stands outside, studies
The human being is taken for granted The human being is the object of inquiry
He is unalterable He is alterable and able to alter
Eyes on the finish Eyes on the course
One scene makes another Each scene for itself
Linear development In curves
Evolutionary determinism Jumps
Man as a fixed point Man as a process
Thought determines being Social being determines thought
Feeling Reason
Achievements
At the age of 24 Brecht won the prestigious Kleist
Prize for Baal, Drums in the Night, and In the Jungle
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics in 1970 for
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.
Works
Baal
Man Equals Man
The Threepenny Opera
Life of Galileo
Mother Courage and Her Children
The Good Person of Szechwan
The Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Impact
Bertolt Brechts work can be seen in various forms of
theater that have been critically acclaimed:
Tony Kushners Angels In America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DsIHFCNpAo
Caryl Churchills Cloud 9
Gender/Race-Reversal
"The artist represents himself. Thus, if he is representing a
cloud, perhaps, showing it's unexpected appearance, it's
soft and strong growth, it's rapid yet gradual
transformation, he will occasionally look to the audience to
say: isn't it just like that?"